As you know there are no states here, just different regions with very different characteristics (even in such a small country like Portugal), so it's really interesting to understand how things work over there.

It is intended to be taken multiple ways - history, culture, education, manufacturing: they all have made great advances through Connecticut efforts, so that's the point. take it anyway you like, it probably applies. The real question will be if the campaign is well executed to communicate of all those different meanings.